APP vaccine wins innovation award

A new vaccine delivery system against the endemic pig disease Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) has received the Cooperative Research Centre Association's Award for Excellence in Innovation for 2009 in an award presentation at Parliament House, Canberra, Australia.

The APP-Alive vaccine and its delivery system, developed with funding from the Pork CRC, have been predicted to reduce industry costs in Australia by $3-6 million a year.

It is said to make vaccination against APP, a widespread and serious disease in domestic pigs, easier, cheaper, safer and more effective.

The award was presented to Dr Roger Campbell, CEO of the Pork CRC, by Federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Kim Carr and CSIRO CEO, Dr Megan Clark.

Impact on pig industryReceiving the award, Dr Campbell praised the contribution of all involved in its development, saying it will have a big impact on the pig industry in Australia and overseas.

“APP is a highly contagious, potentially fatal pig disease,” Dr Campbell said. “APP-Alive and the technology has global market implications and is already being used by two of Australia's largest pork producing companies.

“The vaccine delivery has proven highly effective and is safer and easier to administer than current injectable vaccines and will reduce the use and cost of antibiotics throughout the industry,” he said.

Single doseThe vaccine can be given to baby pigs before weaning in a single dose and a single handling. Vaccination against APP was previously available as a two-shot regime.